How to Get a Rohtang Pass Permit: The Actual Process
TL;DR
- Apply online at rohtangpermits.nic.in, outside peak season (March to June) it's easy to get
- Daily quota is 1200 vehicles: 800 petrol, 400 diesel. Slots open at 10 AM and 4 PM
- Cost is Rs 550 total for car or bike (Rs 500 permit + Rs 50 congestion charge), buses pay Rs 600
- Going beyond Rohtang toward Lahaul or Leh only needs the Rs 50 congestion charge, no permit fee, no quota
- Rohtang is closed every Tuesday. Vehicles older than 10 years won't get a permit. Carry a printout for the Gulaba checkpost.
Every summer I watch tourists show up at their hotel in Old Manali and start panicking about the Rohtang Pass permit. They heard from someone that it's impossible to get, or that you need to pay some agent double the price, or that you can just drive up and figure it out at the checkpoint. None of that is true, but the bad advice keeps circulating.
Let me walk you through how this actually works.
Where to Apply
The only place to get a legitimate Rohtang Pass permit is the official government website: rohtangpermits.hp.gov.in. That's it. There is no app, no counter at the mall road, no backdoor deal that works better.
The site looks like a government website. It's not pretty, but it works. You fill in your vehicle details, your ID information, your travel dates, and pay online. Outside of peak season, you can do this the night before and be fine.
Peak Season vs. Off Season
The crunch time is March through June. That's when the snow is still good, schools are out, and everyone from Delhi decides they need a selfie at the Rohtang snow point. During these months, the daily quota of 1200 vehicles fills up fast. Sometimes within an hour of the slot opening.
If you're coming in July, August, September, or October, the process is much smoother. Fewer people are chasing permits, and you'll likely get one even if you apply a day or two ahead.
The key rule: apply as early as your dates allow. If you know you'll be in Manali on a specific date, don't wait. Go to the website and apply the moment you have your vehicle details.
The Numbers: Quota and Slots
The government caps tourism permits at 1200 vehicles per day. That breaks down as 800 petrol vehicles and 400 diesel. This split matters because if you're driving a diesel car, you're competing for a smaller pool.
Permit slots are released twice a day: 10 AM and 4 PM. I've seen people refresh the page at 10:01 and find all slots taken for their preferred date. The system is that tight during peak season.
If you miss out on a morning slot, try again at 4 PM. Sometimes cancellations or system updates free up spots.
What You Actually Pay
For a car or motorcycle day trip to Rohtang Pass, the total cost is Rs 550. That's Rs 500 for the permit fee and Rs 50 for the congestion charge. Buses pay Rs 600 total.
That's it. If someone asks you for Rs 2000 or Rs 3000 to "arrange" a permit, they're either a scammer or an agent marking up the price for no reason.
The Exception: Going Beyond Rohtang
This is where most tourists get confused. If you're driving through the Atal Tunnel toward Lahaul, Spiti, or Leh, you do not need the Rs 500 tourism permit. You only pay the Rs 50 congestion charge. And there is no daily quota cap for these transit permits.
So if your plan is to cross Rohtang and keep going to Keylong or Sarchu or beyond, the process is simpler and cheaper. You still need to apply online, but you select the transit option instead of the tourism option.
I wrote a detailed post on Visiting Atal Tunnel: What Tourists Actually Need to Know that covers the transit permit in more depth. If you're heading that way, it's worth a read.
Tuesday: The Day Rohtang Rests
Rohtang Pass is closed every Tuesday for maintenance. No permits are issued for Tuesdays. No vehicles go through. This applies to everyone tourists, locals, commercial vehicles. Plan around it.
I can't tell you how many people show up on a Tuesday morning and ask me why the check live Rohtang Pass status page says closed. It says closed because it's Tuesday.
The 10-Year Rule
Vehicles older than 10 years are not issued permits. This is strictly enforced. The system checks the registration date when you apply, and if your vehicle is too old, the application is rejected. No exceptions, no bribes, no workarounds.
If you're renting a car in Manali, ask the rental company to confirm the vehicle's age before you book. Some older taxis are still running around town, and their drivers might not mention this until you're at the permit counter.
The Gulaba Checkpost
Once you have your permit, you need a printout. Digital copies on your phone are not accepted. The permit is physically checked at the Gulaba checkpost, which is about 14 kilometers from Manali on the way to Rohtang.
There's no cell signal at the checkpoint, so don't plan to pull up your email there. Print it at your hotel or at any cyber cafe in town before you leave.
I update the check live Atal Tunnel status and Rohtang status pages daily because conditions change fast up there. A clear morning can turn into a snowstorm by noon, and the checkpoints will close the road without warning. Always check before you head up.
About Agents and Scams
The local taxi union can arrange your permit if you're hiring a cab. That's legitimate. The driver handles it, you pay the standard fee, and you're good.
What's not legitimate is the random agent on the street who says he can "guarantee" you a permit for an extra fee. These guys sometimes take your money and disappear, or they apply on the same website you could have used yourself and pocket the difference. There's no secret system. The same 1200 permits are available to everyone through the same website.
If someone tells you permits are sold out but they can get you one for a premium, walk away. They're lying.
A Quick Detour if You Have Time
If you get your permit and drive up to Rohtang, consider going a bit further. Most people turn around at the snow point, but the road past the pass leads to places most tourists skip. There's an old fort past the Atal Tunnel called Gondhla Fort, a 400-year-old ruin that gets almost no visitors. I wrote about it in Gondhla Fort: The 400-Year-Old Ruin Past Atal Tunnel Nobody Stops For. Worth a stop if you have an extra hour.
And if you're staying in Old Manali and want a quieter day away from the permit chaos, there's a good walk from Rocky's Cafe up to some meadows that most tourists don't know about. I covered it in The Three Meadows Trail From Rocky's Cafe in Old Manali. No permit needed for that one.
The Bottom Line
The Rohtang Pass permit process is straightforward. Apply on the official site. Do it early. Pay the correct amount. Print the paper. Check the road conditions before you go. That's the whole thing.
If you're planning a full trip to Manali and want to know what else to expect, I put together the complete Manali travel guide that covers permits, weather, roads, and everything else you actually need to know. It's updated for the current season.
The pass will be there. The snow will be there. Just get your permit right and you'll have a good day.